Even Rangers Go Bad
by Nimeneth
Summary: When Legolas' closest friend disappears, he goes off to find her. He ends up hunting a ranger gone bad. And he finds more than he bargianed for. AU.
1. Chapter 1

Hidden Concepts 

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing from Tolkien's work or anything else that slipped in (character names, etc.). I own Lenablin, Mariana, Sarban, Zanzibar, and any other character that I decided to name.

**Summary:** When one of Legolas' closest friends disappears without a trace, he goes off to find her. He meets up with another old friend and together with help from other friends, they go hunting for a ranger. But they end up as the hunted and find more than they bargained for. I can't do a summary to save my life.

**Author's note: **Tolkien never said that either Aragorn or Legolas had any siblings. I decided to give each of them a sibling. When I refer to Lenablin as "Legolas' brother", that's just what comes out of my mind when it has spare time. The same thing goes for "Aragorn's brother" who I will not name until later.

**Second A/N: This takes place about 50 years before LotR does. **

I'm on a roll and I better get off it before my muses kill me for blabbing too much. *looks at sleeping readers* Looks like I've bored you all to sleep. *crickets chirp* I better get going before my muses decide to kill me. Read on and enjoy!

Italics denounce thoughts. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

            Legolas stormed out of the palace of Mirkwood and stalked down one of the paths outside. He was trailed closely by his brother. He had been in a foul mood for the past week. It had started when a friend of his, Mariana, hadn't arrived back with her companions after their hunting trip.

            "Legolas, don't do this again. Father is getting quite annoyed by your behavior. You have got to stop this." Lenablin sighed, exasperated, as he hurried to keep up with his brother.

            "I don't care if father is getting annoyed with me. He doesn't understand how I feel!" Legolas snapped, not slowing for his brother.

            "Relax. You have no reason to snap at me. Besides, I'm sure she's fine. She is quite capable to take care of herself out there, even if there are spiders and Orcs. She's very cunning when it comes to surviving in the wild."

            Legolas stopped. "That's not what I'm worried about. What I'm worried about is that she hasn't been found yet."

            "She'll get here when she gets here. Just try to cheer up." Lenablin placed his hand on Legolas' shoulder.

            "I don't understand is how you can be so cheerful. You don't even know what it's like to lose a friend as close as Mariana is to me!" Legolas shrugged off his brother's hand and walked away. He stopped and turned back to the younger elf, acutely aware of what he had just implied. "Lenablin, I really didn't mean that. I just couldn't stop…."

            "You're right. I don't know what it's like to lose a close friend." he said. Lenablin sprinted off into the surrounding trees. Legolas stared after him. _I can't believe I just said that. He sighed and sat down under the shelter of a maple tree and his mind ran over the events of 30 years past._

~ ~ ~ FLASHBACK ~ ~ ~

            "He's been gone too long." Lenablin said bleakly as he and Legolas walked through the halls of the Mirkwood palace.

            "I'm sure that Chanarin is fine. There are search parties being formed to go looking for him. Help out. It'll make you feel better. There are many doing the same thing that you are. Chanarin was very well liked throughout Mirkwood. You will not be alone." Legolas placed an arm around his brother's shoulders. "I know that you were close friends with him, and I don't like to see you looking like this. I'm also going out tomorrow."

            "Why? There's nothing in it for you."

            "That's not the point. The point is that you're not the only one who misses him and worries about him. Now go help out before you drive me out of my mind with your ceaseless talk about Chanarin! If you'll excuse me, I should be checking my gear for tomorrow. See you at dawn." Legolas turned down one of the corridors leading towards his chambers, leaving Lenablin staring after him.

* * *

            "Lenablin, wake up." Legolas whispered as he shook his younger brother awake gently. "They have already started to gather in the courtyard. At this rate, they'll leave without us." Legolas stood up. 

            "Alright, I get your point. Now calm down. I'll be ready." Lenablin stated as he slipped out of bed and dressed quickly. When he was finished, he slipped out of his bedroom into the hall and started for the courtyard, Legolas in tow.

            They slipped out of the palace into the courtyard just as the sun's first rays of light were penetrating the trees.

            "Legolas, Lenablin, over here!" A voice called out from the far wall of the courtyard. Legolas steered his brother towards the voice and greeted the elves standing there.

            "Good morning, Malrand, Kasmerc. Good weather today. Lets just hope it holds out. Just out of curiosity, where's The Fox?" Legolas asked. Malrand shrugged and Kasmerc replied, "Haven't seen him since earlier this morning. He could be anywhere." Legolas sighed and caught his brother's curious glance. "Looks like I forgot to tell you who The Fox is. It's just what…" he was cut off by a hand over his mouth.

            "People tend to call me." The tall elf with his hand over Legolas' mouth finished, grinning at Legolas as he struggled to free himself from the other's grasp. The Fox encircled Legolas' chest with his free hand, pinning his arms to his sides. "You don't seem to enjoy surprises, Legolas." Legolas rolled his eyes, recovered from his surprise, and went still. The Fox removed his hand from Legolas' mouth and sighed. "Well, there goes my fun for the morning."

            "Thank you. Lenablin, meet The Fox. His real name is Talkerm. The reason you haven't seen him is because he's hardly around. He likes the woods better than the palace, but he has made friends with Chanarin. Now, would you mind letting go of me?" Legolas asked Talkerm. Meanwhile, Malrand and Kasmerc were trying unsuccessfully to stop laughing. Legolas turned to them. "I know you two were also behind this. Don't deny it. I could see by the way you two were acting that you did know where he was."

            "Don't blame the twins. It was my idea. They just thought it would be funny to see how you would react." Talkerm said as he released Legolas. Then he reached down and picked up his quiver. "We should start out. Just keep your guard up. We've been assigned to an area near the Mountains of Mirkwood, and there have been some recent sightings of Orcs in that area." He started out the gate and the others followed him.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

**TBC**

Yup, looks like a monster chapter to me. I haven't even finished the flashback yet! It'll probably be finished next chapter. I know it's an unusual place to finish a chapter, but that's the best I could do without going on for another 5 pages or so. As a heads up, if you see an ~ ~ ~ END FLASHBACK ~ ~ ~ in the middle of the next chapter, that's the end of the flashback. (Finally. You bore people with your flashbacks.) Don't you mean YOUR flashbacks?

Well, that was my longest chapter yet. Anyway….. please R&R! I like reviews! They help me write faster. (You mean improvise faster. You had no guidelines for this chapter other than me, your mind. And a little from the original thing. But that's about it. Please try not to do that again. I ache all over.) Fine, it helps me improvise faster. And I'm sorry that you ache. Yes, I talk to my mind a lot. It gets all the credit for my work. So anyway, please R&R. I like feedback. All flames will be used to heat my vacation home in La La Land during the winter.

Namarie!

~* Mariana Nimeneth *~


	2. Chapter 2

**Hidden Concepts**

For full disclaimer and such, see chapter one.

**Author's note:** Some of this chapter is the ending of a flashback started in chapter one. If (and possibly when) you see ~ ~ ~ END FLASHBACK ~ ~ ~, that's just the end of the flashback.

So… I should start the chapter now, shouldn't I? (Yes, you really should. You're boring the readers!) Oh, shut up. Who asked you? NE ways… enjoy!

_Italics_ denounce thoughts

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

            The five Elves were deep within the forest now, less than a mile from the Mountains of Mirkwood when Talkerm stopped them in a grove of pine trees knelt on the ground, studying something there. Legolas slipped up and crouched down besides him. They held a whispered conference about what they both saw there. After they had finished, Legolas moved back to where the others were gathered.

            "The Fox says he's found some tracks. Orc tracks. Two days old by the look of them. They were dragging something after them. An Elf, I think. Don't you think that's unusual?" he asked quietly while the tall Elf continued to study the tracks in the background. The others nodded.

            "They were headed south-east, towards Dol Guldur. And I think they *were* dragging an elf." Talkerm commented, straightening up.

            "We should keep moving." Lenablin said, glancing around. Talkerm nodded and the small company continued on, following the tracks.

* * *

            An hour later, they came upon a small clearing in the trees and stopped there to rest for a while. Kasmerc kept glancing around them nervously and shifting his position.

            "Kas, what's wrong? You're a little edgy." Malrand said to his brother. Kasmerc started at the sound of his brother's voice.

            "I don't know. It's something about this clearing, but I can't figure it out." he replied.

            "I feel something also. And I don't like it." Lenablin whispered, glancing sidelong at Legolas. Suddenly, there was a nerve-wracking screech from the surrounding trees. The company started and looked around.

            "Yrch!" Talkerm spat out the word like a curse.

            "We shouldn't have stopped here!" Kasmerc snarled at The Fox, starting for the tree line. Malrand grabbed him roughly by the shoulder and dragged him back.

            "It's too late to run. We have to stand and fight!" Malrand's voice shook with the strain from trying to keep from shouting at Kasmerc. Legolas fitted an arrow to his bow.

            Suddenly, the Orcs broke through the tree line and into the clearing from all directions. Legolas shot the first one he saw. A volley from his companions followed his shot.

            "Drop your bows! They won't do anything for us now! The Orcs are too close!" Lenablin shouted, dropping his bow and drawing his sword. The others followed his example without questions. The Orcs were advancing now, slowly. They snarled at the elves.

            "Look what we have here. More Elves to play with." one of the Orcs sneered at the Elves in their midst. Legolas felt his brother shudder from beside him. _They must mean Chanarin. Suddenly, the Orcs rushed in to fight._

* * *

            Legolas ducked under an Orc's scimitar and risked a look around at his companion. Kasmerc and Malrand were back to back in a circle of Orcs. Meanwhile, Talkerm was fighting alone with his back to a tree. Legolas was forced to block another blade from taking his head off with its sweep. Suddenly there was a cry. The Orcs paused their assault long enough to see who had cried out. Lenablin, who had his back pressed against Legolas, gasped softly. Legolas managed to get a look over his shoulder at what his brother was staring at and he understood. Kasmerc had taken a scimitar in the side, opening a nasty gash. The Orcs started to take advantage of the situation. Malrand had his back wide open and too many Orcs around him to cover it. On top of that, his brother was on his knees, meaning that he had to defend both of them. Legolas caught his brother's inquisitive glance and nodded. _I just hope this works. _He rushed forward to meet the advancing Orcs before they reached him. His brother was doing the same thing. The Orcs fell away because of the strength of their attacks and the speed of their blades. Both of the Elves took advantage of these openings and were through them quicker than the eye could follow their movements. Legolas took advantage of the trees growing close together and sprang into one, moving through the branches until he was directly overhead Talkerm. He dropped down and moved to take a defensive position in front of Talkerm. The Orcs had backed away long enough for Legolas to take a quick look at his companion before starting to attack. It was a wonder what kept the tracker on his feet. He was wounded in a dozen places and breathing heavily. He flashed a quick smile at the taller elf and turned his attention back to the fight at hand. Legolas surveyed the situation carefully. _No archers, and most of them seem gathered around Lenablin and the twins. The prince smiled grimly. _Not enough to defend themselves for long. That's a good sign._ The Orcs had recovered from their shock and began to attack, more viciously than ever. A few of them spoke to each other in their own language, sounding worried. Legolas felt the tracker stiffen slightly at his back but he dismissed it. _I can always ask him about that later._ Legolas parried a few scimitar slashes aimed at his head and legs, returning an attack of his own at a few Orcs that ventured too close into the range of his knives. __They won't hold up for much longer. _

* * *

            The prince cut off the last Orc's head and glanced around. Talkerm let out a moan and Legolas caught him as the he fell forward, bruised, battered, and exhausted. Talkerm groaned softly as Legolas gently lowered him down to the ground, settling him against a tree.

            "Are you alright?" Legolas asked, concern filling his voice. Talkerm nodded, wincing at the pain that raced up his neck with the movement.

            "Just a little cut up, that's all. You should see to Kasmerc first though. That gash in his side looks painful. There are some bandages in my pack. Use them." Legolas took the pack he was offered and pulled out the bandages. He moved quickly over the piles of the dead Orcs towards where Malrand was kneeling over his brother with concern etched on his features. Kasmerc, on the other hand, had lapsed into unconsciousness sometime during the fight because of blood loss. Lenablin was out somewhere following a hunch he had that whoever the elf that the Orcs was dragging was nearby, and he was determined to find the victim of the Orcs "play".

            "Kas, wake up." Malrand was saying as Kasmerc slowly opened his eyes and blinked. He smiled softly at his brother, reaching out to cover his brother's hand gently.

            "I'm alright, don't worry about me." Kasmerc told Legolas and his brother. They both nodded. Legolas handed the bandages to Malrand and went back over to Talkerm. He knelt next to the tracker and touched his shoulder gently, calling the other's attention out of the trees.

            "Did you understand anything that passed between the Orcs?" Legolas asked, recalling that Talkerm could understand a little of the Black Tongue. Talkerm nodded.

"Could you tell me what you understood?"

            "From what I could understand of it, it seems that they do have an elf held captive nearby, apparently taken about a week ago, around the time that Chanarin disappeared. They said that they hoped that the Orcs left to guard the elf were enough to hold up against us should we kill them all." Talkerm whispered. Suddenly, Legolas felt something amiss. He stood up abruptly, looking around at the surrounding trees, drawing his companion's worried glances.

            "I have to go and see where Lenablin is. I think I know where the Orcs with their captive are. Did the Orcs mention any number of those left behind?" Legolas asked. Talkerm shook his head. "Thank you for that information. I'll be back as soon as I can be. Will you three be alright?" Legolas looked back at the twins, who both nodded. He started off into the trees in search of his brother.

* * *

            Legolas glanced around, looking for any sign of his brother. Nothing showed Legolas where his brother was. He sighed in frustration. Then, a soft sobbing reached his ears. He looked around to identify its source. He saw the sunlight glint off of something in the trees and moved towards it.

            Within the trees he found his brother, cradling the still form of Chanarin in his arms, sobbing. Legolas looked down at the ground and saw dark red drops on the ground. _Blood.__ That must be how Lenablin found Chanarin. He moved forward and gently placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. Lenablin looked up, tears in his eyes._

            "He was dying when I found him. He told me that there was nothing I could do to help him. He managed to say a few other words before he died, but I couldn't understand them. He died a few minutes ago." Lenablin said quietly.

            "Lenablin, I'm sorry about Chanarin, but we should move back to the others. The Fox said that there were Orcs guarding him. Besides, we have to let the others know that Chanarin is dead." Legolas knelt next to the younger elf.

            "I already took care of the guards. There were only two of them." Lenablin graced his brother with a wry smile. A tear slipped down his cheek, and he turned his head away, but not before Legolas saw it. Legolas wrapped an arm around the younger elf's shoulder, hugging Lenablin to him.

            "I'm sorry about Chanarin, I really am. But we must go." Legolas released his younger brother and stood up. "We must let his family know and we also must bury his body. But in a safer place." He reached down and gently pulled his brother to his feet, his arms still wrapped protectively around Chanarin's body. Then Legolas led his brother back through the trees.

~ ~ ~ END FLASHBACK ~ ~ ~

            A drop of water dripped down onto Legolas's face, waking him from his thoughts. _He knows what it's like to actually lose a friend to death. He knows more pain than I do. I never should have said that. Legolas stood up and let his feet wander, taking him where they will._

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

**TBC**

*****sniff* I don't like to kill my characters anymore than the next person. *looks at next person who happens to be my beta reader, Anarril, who grins at the thought of killing a character* On second thought, I take that back. NE way… *bursts into tears***** I SHOULDN'T HAVE KILLED CHANARIN!!! NOW I'M ON A GUILT TRIP TO PARADISE!!! *sniff* I feel bad.

Please R&R. I want feedback. Please? I want other's opinions on this, not just my beta's! Though she is welcome to review. Tell you what: I'll offer a LotR plushie of your choice to the 10th reviewer. Wait…. that'll be too hard. How about a Legolas plushie to the 10th  and an Aragorn plushie to the 20th (if I even get to that number.)Well, that's all for this chapter. Thanks for sticking to me! I love you all, my wonderful readers!

Namarie!

~*Mariana Nimeneth*~


	3. Chapter 3

Hidden Concepts 

**Muse's notes:** Nimraug: Ummmm… I hate to say this… but… Nimenel: Mariana is indisposed of right now. Actually… Nimeril: She's on a guilt trip. Merkarell: She's hiding under her bed in our vacation home. Raug: Merka… Merka: What? *Is pounced on by Raug. They start to fight* Morisikil: NE way… I should take charge here. She's a little upset now because she killed Chanarin. Celebmaranwe: So Mariana told us to take charge while she recovers. Lindehyanda: Which we should do so right now. So lets get going. Mori: *looks at fighting Raug and Merka* Looks like I'll be taking charge. If you don't mind, Enel. Enel: Oh, be my guest. I have other things to do anyway. Mori: Okay. Thanks. So let's start.

**Response to Reviewers**

Jaden: I won't stop, don't worry.

For complete disclaimer and such, see first chapter.

_Italics_ denote thoughts.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

            Legolas ducked the blow and backed off from the man that had thrown it at him. _I can't believe this! He caught me off guard! _He had almost no time to dodge the man rushed him. _Where does his strength come from?! And his speed… _A flash of metal appeared in the man's hand. _A dagger!_ Legolas reached for the knife that would have been in his belt had he not forgotten it. _This is getting worse by the second. Now why did I leave my weapons at home? He had no time to do anything about it, so he would have to try to get through this fight without his weapons. The man charged again, this time with the dagger in his hand. Legolas moved to dodge the strike but found that his opponent had anticipated his move and threw out his arm to catch the elf in the shoulder, sending him off balance. The prince went crashing into the undergrowth. He sprang to his feet to meet the next rush. But before he could completely rise, he was grabbed roughly from behind and then everything faded to black._

* * *

                Legolas groaned as he came to. There was a blurry figure leaning over him. He started to rise, but the figure held him down.

"Legolas, relax. It's only me." The figure said softly.

"Mariana?" Legolas' focus was improving. He was beginning to see the features on the figure's face.

"Yes. Now lie still. You were in pretty bad shape when _they _threw you in here." She spat the word out like a curse.

"Wait. They? You mean those two men?" Legolas was starting to wonder what exactly was going on. His hand moved absently up to his forehead, but Mariana stopped him.

"Don't. You have quite a bruise there. And yes, the two men that apparently attacked you. What are you doing here anyway?"

"I didn't have a choice. It just happened. One minute I was fighting one of the men, and the next I wake up here. Sore, I might add." Legolas started to sit, and Mariana reached out to stop him. He brushed off her hands and gave her an amused look. "Mariana, I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me." Suddenly, the door was roughly opened and the figures of two men appeared. "But I think we have something to worry about now." He whispered too low for the men to hear.

            "Up, both of you. And don't try to struggle." One of them snarled at the elves. They both obeyed without question. The other one started towards them, uncoiling a length of rope. He tightly bound both of the elves' hands behind their backs and shoved them towards the door. They were both led down a long, roughly hewn stone corridor, through another door, and into what looked like a great hall. Legolas looked around, searching the shadows for the presence he felt within the room. He was mildly surprised when a shadow detached itself from one of the walls. The figure moved out into the light and removed his hood. Legolas' eyes narrowed as he saw the face of the man standing before him. There was something about the man that was familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

            "These the ones you wanted?" one of the elves' captors asked the other man, who only nodded. "Good. Now for our agreement…"

            "One more thing. She had weapons, didn't she?" the man in the dark cloak nodded toward Mariana. The elves' captors nodded and one of them left the room in search of Mariana's weapons. He came back later with a large bundle and handed it to the man in the cloak.

            "Is that all you wanted?" he asked. The cloaked man said nothing and just tossed a bag of coins to one of the men, turned, beckoned the elves to follow him, and left the room.

* * *

            Legolas winced and rubbed his wrists as the circulation was painfully restored. He glanced across the wide plain that they were now on, wondering where they were. The prince turned back to the man and looked him up and down, trying to remember where he knew the man from.

            "My name is Aragorn." He said, catching Legolas' curious glance.

            "Strider? Is that really you?" Legolas took a step towards the ranger, grinning.

            "Legolas. It's good to see you." Aragorn closed the distance between them with a few steps and greeted the elf before turning to Mariana. "You must be Mariana. Legolas has told me some about you."

            "But he has told me a lot about you. He's always going on about a ranger called 'Strider'." Mariana took the hand he offered to her. Legolas shot a look at Mariana and she grinned.

            "Oh, Legolas, I think these belong to you." Aragorn said, releasing Mariana's hand, turning around and picking up a bundle. He handed it to Legolas.

            "How did you get this?" Legolas asked after unwrapping the bundle. It was his quiver, still with the bow attached and with his knives still within their sheaths. He eyed Aragorn suspiciously, who only snorted with amusement. Mariana laughed at Legolas' expression.

            "Your friend Talkerm helped me out. Along with Kasmerc." The ranger replied. The Elven prince snorted with annoyance and rolled his eyes. _He hasn't changed at all, except for aging some. He's still as secretive as he was a few years ago. And as mischievous. The corners of the man's mouth were twitching and unshed tears of mirth were glistening in his eyes. Legolas raised one eyebrow, which caused the human to start snickering. The elf raised his eyes to the heavens and muttered something that the human couldn't catch, but Mariana, who was leaning forward to catch the words, almost fell over backwards laughing. Aragorn turned to her and demanded "What did he say?"_

            "Oh, nothing short of: Ai, Valar help me. Save me from my human tormenter." Mariana snickered. Aragorn turned to Legolas in shock. The prince gave the ranger a look of pure innocence, and started to laugh at the expression of his face.

            "Legolas…" the ranger warned, then forgot about what he was going to say. He had decided that it would only make matters worse. "Never mind. We should be moving on. What I gave your captors had little worth in this area, so I don't want them to come after us. There are more men in there than you know. I've seen most of their force, and it is a rather large one." The elves stopped laughing instantly.

            "What chance do we have against their force?" Mariana asked.

            "None what-so-ever. I would tell you what they do to elves and cheats, but it's much too gruesome. I can't even stand the thought of it, and I've seen it happen." Aragorn sighed sadly, stood up, and moved on towards the woods on the other side of the plains. The elves followed after.

            "How much time do you think we have before they come after us?" Legolas questioned, moving up to walk next to the ranger.

            "Not much more than an hour. We can reach the forest in a little more than that, if we travel at this pace. But we can hide our trail within the forest." The ranger replied gravely.

            "Nay. You forget. This is their land. They know it better than we do."

            "Ah, but I have found a safe spot for us to hide in until the danger passes."

            "Then take us there, and quickly, oh great ranger. Our enemies are out hunting us now." Mariana kept her voice steady as both the prince and the ranger glanced back at what she was pointing at.

            "Have they spotted us yet?" Legolas questioned his friend. Mariana shook her head. Meanwhile, Aragorn was cursing under his breath.

            "I didn't think that they would find out that fast." He muttered.

            "Forget about that. They have spotted us. Let's go!" Mariana pushed past the man and started towards the forest at a sprint. Legolas shrugged and followed her example, beckoning the man to do the same.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

TBC 

*grins as she returns from guilt trip* Hi, all you readers. I hope my muses haven't bored you yet. I've recovered from my lapse into the Sea of Guilt. I have this nagging thought of guilt that's tormenting me, but that's all. I'm fine now. And I thank my muses for filling in for me while I tried to recover.

NE ways… R&R! The comments help me recover and post faster, so make sure to leave me a note on my story! You are all wonderful because you helped me get over my guilt. Thanks a lot.

Namarie!

~*Mariana Nimeneth*~


	4. Chapter 4

Hidden Concepts 

Hi, everyone! I'm back and completely recovered, thanks to the therapy of my beta reader, Anarril. Thanks, 'Ril! And the next chapter is up! YAY!!! NE way… I should be saying the disclaimer and such, and responding to my reviewers, so I'll do that.

For full disclaimer and such, see first chapter.

_Italics_ denote thoughts.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

            Legolas caught his friend as the ranger stumbled over a hidden tree root while risking a look back to judge the amount of time they had left to get to safety. Aragorn nodded his thanks to the prince and moved ahead of the elves to find the cave he had hidden out in sometime earlier in the day. He found it with little difficulty and slipped inside. Despite the small entry, the cave itself was larger than Legolas had thought it would be. There was room enough for them to stand without fear of hitting their heads on the roof, and there was room for at least 30 people to fit in there comfortably and still have room for supplies for about a month.

            "I'll admit, Strider, you really outdid yourself this time. I'm impressed. How did you find this?" Legolas caught the look the human gave him and laughed. "Don't tell me you tripped over a rock and fell headfirst into the opening. You did, didn't you?" Aragorn nodded, grinning sheepishly. "When will you learn to watch where you're going? Honestly, Strider, one of these days you'll really hurt yourself doing that." Suddenly, he held up a hand to stop the comment that Aragorn was going to say. "Shhh…" Legolas listened for a second. "They're close now." He cautioned, slipping closer to the opening of the cave.

            "Where are they? You let them get away, you lazy oafs! What are we going to tell the master when he gets back?" the man who spoke was obviously in charge. The others cringed.

            "Captain, we couldn't find they're tracks after they entered the forest. It's like they just…… disappeared." One of the other men spoke.

            "You buffoon! Nobody can disappear! That's impossible!" the captain stalked off, the rest of his men trailing.

            "That was close. Mariana, you did a good job covering our tracks. Thank you once again for saving my skin." Legolas commented, sliding to the floor of the cave. Then he turned to Aragorn. "Why are we here? You obviously had a purpose in mind if you rescued us back there."

            "I need your help with something." The ranger said, sitting down himself.

            "Yes, and what was it? We're listening." Mariana sat down on the other side of Legolas.

            "I need your help to track down a ranger. I would have asked my fellow rangers to help me, but he would have known their faces too well. So I thought I'd ask you to help me. His name is Zanzibar." He stopped when Legolas shuddered at the name. "What is it?" Aragorn asked, concerned. Mariana placed a hand on Legolas' shoulder.

            "Zanzibar… you mean that rebel? The one who instead of helping people kills them? I've heard of him. All of too many times. He kills my people for fun. I'm with you. I want to put a stop to him for good." Legolas snarled, a strange light coming into his eyes.

            "Yes, that's the Zanzibar I'm talking about. He's killed more than just elves. He's killed rangers too. And many others. He needs to be stopped." Legolas nodded in agreement. "He leads a band of rangers in like mind, most of whom are only acting on his commands because they are either being forced to or because they fear him. They plan to attack a village named Cortiago later this month and I want to stop him before that comes. I need a way to distract him until I can get more information on what day he's planning to attack the village."

            "How did you get the information about what village he's attacking? And I can see why you are worried about the village. If they manage to take that over, that brings them much too close to Rivendell. Tell me, how large is his band?" Legolas asked the ranger.

            "I have a friend in Zanzibar's band who isn't of like mind, but wants to keep his life. He's worried about Cortiago because he has family there. Zanzibar has a large force, possibly large enough to mount an attack on Rivendell and cause much damage." Aragorn took a breath. "I need one of you to become like his closest advisor, which is the position that Sarban, the friend I told you about, holds. I plan to meet him in a few days when we reach the meeting place that we arranged to exchange news and tell him about my plan. Will either of you do that?"

            "I'll go. I might be of more use there." Legolas said right away.

            "Legolas, if he finds out that you are the prince of Mirkwood, what's to stop him from killing you? You're putting yourself in danger here!" Mariana exclaimed, tightening her hold on his shoulder.

            "Mariana, you understand that Aragorn may need your help to keep him out of danger. I can never seem to do that. Besides, you'll be putting yourself in danger if you do that. He may kill you for no reason." Legolas removed her hand and turned to the ranger. "Don't try to stop me from doing this. I've already made up my mind. Now, how do you plan to get me into his camp?" Aragorn sighed.

            " Well…"

* * *

            "That's your plan? Getting him captured?" Mariana stared at the human in disbelief. Legolas rolled his eyes.

            "Sometimes I don't understand why your brothers let you out of their sight. Isn't there another way?" Legolas glanced at Aragorn. The ranger shook his head, looking sorry.

            "That's the only way that he'll get into camp."

            "And what if I get killed instead? What then?" Legolas brought up that point.

            "I think that he might think that you might be useful to him. I'll have to discuss this with Sarban to see if he has any other ideas. We're meeting him in two days, if I can manage to get us out of this area by tomorrow." He looked at the ground and missed the look that passed between the two elves. Legolas rested a hand on the other's shoulder.

            "You don't think that you can do that, do you?" Aragorn shook his head. "Oh, come on, Strider. You have to believe in yourself a little. You'll get us out of here. Besides, I think that the men who were looking for us might have given up." Legolas grinned and Mariana chuckled at the human's confusion. "Mariana whipped up a little surprise for them around the time that we found this cave. I'm confusing you more, aren't I?" The ranger nodded, turning to Mariana.

            "Legolas, just tell him. You know that you can trust him." Mariana slapped the prince.

            "Fine, but only if you stop slapping me." Legolas looked at Mariana, who nodded. "Good. Alright then. What you don't know is that Mariana can… well, I don't know how to say this… Mariana, why don't you tell him."

            "I can't believe you!" Mariana looked at Legolas in indignation, then turned her attention back to the ranger. "Well, I can pretty much transport myself from one place to another. I've always been able to do that." Aragorn looked stunned.

            "So do you think that you can get us out of this area before those men come back?" he asked.

            "I don't know if I can. I've never tried with three people. Just with two it takes up a lot of my strength." Mariana sighed. "I'd have to read your mind to get a clear picture of the place. And even then, I'm not too sure about the results."

            "Ever tried drawing on another's strength to help you? It might work." Legolas mused. Mariana looked at him and raised an eyebrow, curious.

            "Are you suggesting that I draw on your strength?" Legolas nodded. "It may work, but it may not."

            "There's always a first time for everything." Aragorn said softly

            "Yes, but the first time might be the last time for the same thing. If it doesn't work, what'll we do?" Mariana shook her head. "Looks like our only choice." She sighed and thought about the option for a while. "I'll do it." She turned to Legolas "Now, I want you…"

            "I know, I know. You want me to relax. I've had something like this done to me before. I was the only elf, and the only way that the process will work is if an elf donates some of their strength to the person performing the transportation. It left me drained, but there was a reason for that: there were four others. It worked. You need to try it. Just trust yourself." Legolas laid a hand on Mariana's shoulder. She gripped his arm and motioned the ranger to join them.

            "Thank you Legolas. Strider, relax and get a clear picture of the place in your mind. Legolas, you know what to do." Legolas gripped his human friend by the arm tightly and gave him a reassuring smile before closing his eyes and slowing his breathing. Mariana did the same and everything faded to a dull brown.

            Suddenly, with a burst of green, they arrived in a large clearing. The elves opened their eyes, and Mariana suddenly collapsed into Legolas' arms. He lowered his friend to the ground and looked up to the human for confirmation. Aragorn looked at his surroundings, stunned at their method of transportation. He caught Legolas' glance and nodded.

            "This is it. It worked." The young human whispered in awe. Mariana gave a weak smile.

            "I wasn't sure if it would. That really surprised me." Mariana said. Legolas gave a small chuckle.

            "Well, that saved us about a day or so of hard travel. I think your friend may be surprised to find us here early." The elf commented, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

            "Legolas…" the ranger warned.

            "I was jesting. I wasn't serious." Legolas let out a sigh. "Out of curiosity, when does he usually come?"

            "Usually towards the early morning hours. I think he might be surprised to see that I've brought some elves with me." The ranger caught Mariana's look. "Oh, no, he doesn't fear elves. It's just that he wasn't expecting me to bring any company."

            "Uh huh. Does he ever come earlier than you planned?" Mariana asked, sitting up and brushing off Legolas' hands, paying the prince no heed. Legolas rolled his eyes and sighed.

            "He has once or twice." Aragorn leaned against the trunk of a tree. "Night is falling, and I think that we might want to get some sleep. I'll take first watch. Legolas, would you mind taking second?" the prince shook his head. "Alright. I'll wake you some time around midnight." The ranger pushed himself off of the trunk and the elves settled down for sleep.

* * *

                Legolas scanned the underbrush for any signs of movement before leaping into a tree for a better view. Suddenly he stiffened and narrowed his eyes, staring at a patch of trees growing close together. _What was that?_ A flash of movement caught his eye. _There it is again._ Out of the shadows, a hooded figure appeared, looking furtively back at the forest behind him. The prince's eyes narrowed even more and he moved silently through the treetops until he was behind the figure. Unsheathing one of his knives, he dropped down to the forest floor and placed the knife blade at the figure's throat. The figure let out a small gasp as the metal drew a small drop of blood.

            "Don't move or you risk your head." The prince whispered. The figure froze instantly. "Who are you?"

            "My name is Sarban. Is there a ranger called Strider nearby?" the figure replied softly. Legolas released the man, who turned around to study the elf in mild surprise. The man chuckled to himself and removed the hood of his cloak, revealing dark locks framing his youthful face. _If I didn't know any better, I'd say that he was Strider. _The elf motioned the human to follow him, trusting the human enough to turn his back. 

Upon reaching the camp, Mariana promptly sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She saw the young man behind Legolas and glanced questioningly at the prince, who ignored the look. He leaned over the sleeping human, gently shaking him awake. Aragorn rose grudgingly, looking irritated. The look faded as soon as he saw the other ranger standing behind the prince. He smiled in greeting, and turned his attention back to Legolas, asking for an explanation. Legolas shrugged and mouthed 'I don't know. He just appeared suddenly.'

            "Strider, how are you?" Sarban asked softly, seating himself as Legolas moved away to speak softly with Mariana.

            "Better than I was at our last meeting." Aragorn replied, grinning slightly at the memory. The elves moved over to the humans and sat. "Let me introduce you to my companions. This is Mariana, an archer from Mirkwood." Mariana smiled in greeting.           "It's a pleasure to meet you, my lady." Sarban murmured softly, lightly kissing her hand.

            "The pleasure is mine. Please, just Mariana." Mariana replied and Legolas rolled his eyes.

            "And this is Legolas Greenleaf, Prince of Mirkwood." Aragorn grinned as Legolas glared at him. "His brother could not be here to join us." Sarban inclined his head in respect.

            "My lord." Sarban said softly.

            "No formalities. We are all friends here. Now, Strider tells me that you have news from Zanzibar's camp." Legolas changed the subject.

            "He plans to attack Cortiago in two and a half weeks. We're all moving to attack. From what I've heard, after destroying the village, he plans to mount an attack on Rivendell to see if he can take control of the valley. He may have help from within, but the mentions of it have been few. I'm not even sure if the rumors are true. What's your plan?" Sarban looked to Aragorn. The elder ranger outlined his plan and the younger man stared at him with a raised eyebrow.

            "THAT'S your plan? Getting Legolas captured?" The prince and the ranger exchanged glances.

            "I'm already decided on that. Don't try to dissuade me." The elf replied. Mariana laid a hand on Sarban's arm.

            "When he's made up his mind, there's nothing that can sway him from his decision." Mariana said softly.

            "I guess you're right. It is your decision, Legolas. I just hope the Zanzibar decides not to kill you." Sarban sighed. "When?"

            "I hope as soon as possible. What's your opinion on this?" Aragorn asked. Sarban let out another sigh and added his thoughts on Aragorn's plan.

* * *

            The next morning, Aragorn went over the plan for the tenth time.

            "Alright, we do it tonight. Legolas…"

            "Strider, would you mind shutting your mouth? I know what to do already. And it's not too hard to remember. Sarban knows what to do, and all you and Mariana have to do is to wait for a while until I manage to stop this madman." Legolas was irritated with the ranger. Aragorn hastily apologized.

            The elves and their human companion set out later that day, heading towards the place that Sarban had deemed safe for the human and Mariana to wait. The sun was at its zenith in the sky when they reached it. The three of them stopped to take a meal before Legolas bade them farewell and moved on alone. It was nearing evening, and the prince was starting to wonder when Sarban would put his part of the plan into action when he sensed a presence behind him and whirled around.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

TBC 

Well, I'm not as good at cliffies as some of the other authors are. Not even close to Cassia. I think it comes with the time you spend writing catchy stories, and then you get into the habit of writing cliffies. Hey, first try at a traditional cliffie.

And I called the first chapter a monster chapter. This is the monster chapter. NE ways… please review! I love feedback! It helps me improve!

Namarie!

*~Mariana Nimeneth~*


	5. Chapter 5

**Hidden Concepts**

Ah, yes, chapter five finally comes around. We get to meet Zanzibar this chapter. FYI, if you don't like him, no, you can't kill him. Feel free to kick him as much as you want, though. Just don't hurt him too much, because I need him.

For full disclaimer and such, see first chapter. (Why do you keep saying that?) Because I have to. Now be quite before I slap you into next week.

**Response to Reviewers:**

**LEDlorien7: **Ok, he had to hurt them for... I don't know why. Um... so he could get them out. Strider doesn't talk because I didn't want him to, and Legolas can't read Strider's mind, savvy? Thanks for the review.

**A/N:** Just to let you know, the way you see Sarban here is just a façade. You can't kill him because he plays a major role later.

_Italics_ denote thoughts.

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The men surrounding Legolas smirked as the elf glanced around for an opening. Sarban shouldered his way through the circle to sneer at Legolas with evil intent evident in his eyes.

"Look what we have here: an elf. We'll bring him back to Zanzibar so he can decide what to do. Bind his hands." Sarban ordered, still sneering. A few moved to do his bidding, but Legolas struck them down. The rest of the men moved towards the prince and the sheer numbers soon overpowered him. His arms were jerked roughly behind his back and bound tightly. Sarban glared at the elf and grabbed Legolas' chin in his hand, forcing the prince's head upward to look him in the eye. "Don't ever try anything like that again, elf!" he spat the word like a curse. Legolas just glared at the human and stayed silent. Sarban suddenly backhanded Legolas across the face, drawing blood. Legolas wiped the blood away from the corner of his mouth with his shoulder. Sarban turned to his men. "We're going back. Zanzibar wanted us back to camp before nightfall." Sarban stated, turning into the woods, his men following, dragging Legolas along.

When the party reached camp, Legolas was lead directly to Zanzibar and forced to his knees. He regained his feet only to be forced back down by Sarban.

"Sarban, let the elf rise if he wishes. Unbind his hands also." Zanzibar said to Sarban.

"Sir, are you sure that's the safest thing to do? After all, I've heard that elves can single handedly kill at least 100 men at once." Sarban seemed worried.

"Sarban, you know that's just a rumor. A single elf can't do anything like that, am I right, elf?" Zanzibar turned his attention to the elf, who kept his mouth closed. "Not the talkative sort, are you? No matter. Just unbind his hands." Sarban obeyed, muttering as he did. The ropes fell away from Legolas' wrists and the prince rubbed them to get the circulation flowing back through them. "Now, tell me, who are you?" Zanzibar asked.

"I'm called Malrand." Legolas used the name of his friend.

"So then, Malrand, what brings you here?" Zanzibar looked barely interested.

"I was heading to Rivendell to visit some friends of mine."

"Really. That's quite interesting. Tell me, do you know anything about the village of Cortiago?"

"Cortiago? No, I don't. Never heard of it." The prince replied.

"How do we know that he's telling the truth?" Sarban leaned against the trunk of a tree.

"Sarban," Zanzibar sighed. "I tire of your contradiction to my orders. Now let the elf be."

"What I tire of is that elf's attitude. He needs to be taught a lesson." Sarban muttered as he pulled his knife out of its sheath, aiming for Legolas' back before releasing it. Legolas eyes narrowed, but he stayed calm, facing Zanzibar until the last possible second. He whirled around and caught the knife by its point before it hit his chest. He cast it to the ground, not looking the least bit fazed.

"You might want to watch where you throw things, human." Legolas said calmly.

"You want trouble? I'll give you trouble." Sarban snarled as he lunged at Legolas. Legolas, using his elven grace, sidestepped the rush and shoved Sarban to the ground. Jumping sideways to avoid Sarban's arm, Legolas stumbled over a tree root, but caught himself and looked up to see Sarban's rush. Legolas went to sidestep again, but Sarban had anticipated the move and caught Legolas across the chest with one of his arms, sending both of them to the ground. The elf used the human's momentum to send Sarban flying over his head, jumping to his feet as soon as the human's weight was off his body. Sarban tried to get up but was forced back to the ground with a boot in the middle of his chest. Legolas moved his foot to Sarban's throat, applying pressure to the human's throat before stepping back.

"That was just a warning. Next time I won't be so lenient, so be careful, human." Legolas glared at the prone human, who was gasping in air.

"Very impressive, Malrand. You seem to have some skill in hand-to-hand combat. I was beginning to wonder who would win that, seeing that you two were evenly matched. I like your style, elf, using the other's strength against them, as well as your own strength and agility. It's very unique. Where did you learn?" Zanzibar's interest seemed to be caught on Legolas' quick defeat of his second in command.

"I learned in Mirkwood, from a certain prince, Legolas Greenleaf." Legolas chose his words wisely. Zanzibar nodded.

"The crown prince? I'd give up anything to get my hands on him. His father would give anything to have him back safely." Zanzibar got this look of longing in his eyes. Legolas mentally hit himself. _That was stupid. This ranger is mad! _"What do you say, Malrand. How about a partnership?"

"But sir…" Sarban croaked, still massaging his throat.

"Not a word from you, Sarban. You've already showed that your loyalty leaves much to be desired. Meanwhile, Malrand," Zanzibar laid a hand on the elf's shoulder "Has shown that he is loyal. Had he ducked, I might be dead. The choice isn't yours to make."

"Yes, sir." Sarban whispered, glaring at the elf, who shot him a smug smile.

"What do you say, Malrand?" Zanzibar turned back to the elf.

"Well…" Legolas said. He seemed to be contemplating the idea. "If you insist, I will take the position that you're so generously offering a stranger. I won't let you down, sir." Legolas knelt before Zanzibar in an act of submission. Zanzibar was surprised at the act.

"Don't kneel to me. It does not suit you. We are partners now." Zanzibar gripped the elf's shoulder. Legolas rose, briefly noting Sarban's disappearance into the woods. "I'll fill you in on my plans, because I'm sure that no one has told you what's going on in about two weeks." Zanzibar filled the elf in on his plans, Legolas listening intently and nodding at the appropriate times. When he finished, Legolas took a few seconds to digest the information before glancing around in search for Sarban.

"Zanzibar, have you seen Sarban in the past half hour or so?" Legolas asked causally. Zanzibar shook his head.

"No, I haven't. Why do you ask?"

"I meant to congratulate him on lasting so long against me. Not many humans have lasted more than a few seconds. He's a good fighter, and I think it would deplete your force to loose him. He's quite talented with stealth also. I didn't even know that I was surrounded until I spotted a few men in the underbrush of the forest. Not many humans are able to do that to me." Legolas replied cooly.

"I think I saw him slip out of camp headed northwest. If you wish, you can go and find him, but I warn you, after a defeat, he's rather moody for a while. Just be careful. I don't want you to get killed so soon." Zanzibar said, pure concern coloring his voice.

"I think I can handle him. I thank you for your concern, but you have no need to worry over me. I'll be fine." Legolas darted off into the woods, picking up Sarban's trail shortly.

A muffled cry for help sounded, and Legolas steered himself towards the sound, stopping short of the edge of a cliff to look down on Sarban's figure hanging off of a tree root. The elf chuckled, calling the human's attention with the sound.

"How did you manage to get yourself into a position like that?" Legolas called down.

"Ha ha, very funny, elf. Just give me some help. I don't feel like falling to my death right now." Sarban shifted his hands on the rough wood, looking slightly worried. The prince nodded, backing up to a tree not too far from the edge of the cliff. Tying one end of the rope that appeared in his hand to the tree, he cast the other down to the human, who promptly grabbed the rope and began to haul himself up hand over hand. The prince watched the human for some time, and then glanced down at the rope, noting that it was fraying. He leaned over the edge of the cliff, gauging the time that Sarban had.

"Sarban, you might want to speed up a little. The rope is starting to fray and it won't hold for much longer." Legolas called down to the human, who nodded and started to climb faster. Legolas dropped onto his stomach and extended his hand to the human. When Sarban was a little higher up on the rope, he took the elf's hand without question just as the rope snapped. "See if you can find any hand- and foot-holds in the cliff and hold on for a while." Sarban obeyed, looking at the elf with confusion, but not voicing his thoughts. Legolas pushed himself away from the edge of the cliff and swiftly untied the rope from the tree, grabbing one end and tossing the other to Sarban.

"What's the other end attached to?" Sarban asked. Legolas held up the other end.

"Don't worry, I'm not about to let you fall. I need at least one ally in the camp." Legolas replied, bracing himself as the human began to climb once more. A few more minutes passed before Sarban reached the top of the cliff and grabbed a hand full of the thick grass growing on the top of the cliff. Legolas dropped the rope and grabbed Sarban under the arms, hauling the human to safety.

"Well, that was a close one. Thank you, Greenleaf." Sarban said, getting to his feet.

"Sarban…" Legolas trailed off as he sat down.

"It was just this once. I'll call you by the name Malrand from now on. Where'd you get the name?"

"A friend of mine. It's the only way to keep myself safe."  
  


"Why did you come after me?" Sarban asked after a moment of silence. The elf looked up.

"I just wanted to congratulate you on a good plan. And to let you know that I'm impressed at your strength as a leader and as a fighter. If that had been a fair fight, I'm not sure if I could have won so easily. You're very good. Who taught you to fight like that?"

"Strider. When we first met. We became close friends after just a few days, and he offered to teach me… to improve my fighting skills, he said." Sarban chuckled at the memory. "You can call it good thinking on Strider's part, but he taught me in a time when Orc attacks were frequent. I saved both of our lives with his techniques."  
  


"Really. That doesn't surprise me in the least." Legolas glanced up at the position of the sun. Rising, the human stared at the sun along with him. "We should get back soon. I'll go first so Zanzibar won't suspect anything. When's your next meeting with Strider?"

"In a few days. When we decided on the plan, we also decided to meet every other day until a few days before the attack. That gives us about a week and a half to discover a way to stop this." Sarban replied. Legolas nodded, starting into the woods, leaving Sarban to ponder his thoughts before starting back to the camp a few minutes after the elf.

* * *

"We attack in the dead of night, coming down upon Cortiago from the north. We make for the center of the village first, killing all that oppose us, and then setting some of the outlying buildings aflame, depending on which way the wind is blowing. When everything is destroyed, we wait for the elves to come around to see what happened to the village, and we attack them as well. How big are their parties usually, Malrand?" The elf looked up from the sketch of the plan in the dirt before him. He shook his head.

"I'm not sure. It usually depends on how much danger they think there might be. But I don't think that they'll send out a party that's too large, seeing that they'll think that it's Orcs that attacked the village, and Orcs usually don't stay around for too long." The elf weighed each word carefully, so as not to endanger his safety. Zanzibar nodded, satisfied at the information that the prince had given him.

"Good, good. I think that we may just be able to take control of Rivendell after all." The human leader smiled smugly. "You are dismissed, Malrand. Thank you for your help." The elf rose and, inclining his head to the human, started back into the forest. He had gone about two hundred yards when he stopped and stepped behind a tree, letting out a low birdcall. Sarban dropped out of the tree and turned to the elf.

"What did you find out?" the human asked, anxiously.

"That Zanzibar is mad." The elf stated. The human rolled his eyes.

"Other than that. I knew that already. What of his plans?" Sarban asked anxiously. Legolas told him what he had found out. Sarban frowned. "He's changed the plans. I have to tell Strider this soon or we won't stand a chance to save that village."

"You're lucky that you've planned a meeting tonight. I'd tell him myself, but if I left camp, Zanzibar would suspect something. Besides, you can slip out of camp unseen, since no one pays much attention to you anymore. Zanzibar expects me to look after some of the doings in camp. I'll arrange the watches so that the people who are the most prone to fall asleep on late watches are the ones on duty, just to ensure you a safe passage in and out of camp." The human nodded, turning to go. Legolas placed a hand on the other's shoulder, calling the other's attention back to him. "If either of them ask, I'm fine and have received no injuries at…" A commotion in the camp cut the elf off mid sentence. "I'll tell you the rest later." Legolas turned back towards camp to see what was going on.

"Malrand! Where are you?" Zanzibar appeared from the movement of the camp, beckoning Legolas to follow him. The elf did so, curiosity mirrored in his eyes. Zanzibar led the prince to the area of the camp that the most confusion seemed to be coming from. The circle of men parted for their leader and the elf, revealing a younger elf, beaten and bound to a tree in their midst. At first, Legolas didn't recognize the elf, but when the figure lifted his head, Legolas' eye widened in shock.

TBC 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I think I might be getting better at decent cliffies there. Maybe not. NE ways… as I said before, you can't kill any characters until I finish this. But by then, you may find those characters already dead.

Please R&R. I love to hear what people think of my work!

Namarie!

~Nimeneth~


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